JPH10285486A - Information communication method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an information communication method and apparatus capable of synthesizing immediate information from an information center or a specific terminal with compressed video information and audio information transmitted from an information center. . A receiving means for receiving, decompressing and displaying first compressed information transmitted from a first information communication device (11), and further comprising a second information communication device (12) transmitted from a second information communication device (12). The home terminal (2) is provided with a composite receiving means for receiving the second compressed information, decompressing, synthesizing, and editing together with the first compressed information and displaying them simultaneously.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting and displaying information in an information communication method and apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a CATV network, when immediate information is transmitted from an information center to each terminal, the information is immediately synthesized with normal video and audio in the information center, and then transmitted to each terminal. To display the information immediately on the screen.

As a similar display method, there is a method of displaying a plurality of screens in a TV conference system or a method of displaying a small screen in a TV receiver as an information transmission and display system. The display is not performed, and the display of the information on the screen is started only by setting the monitor or TV receiver screen on the receiving side. Therefore, the information handled by these is not the immediate information targeted by the present invention. In particular, in the TV conference system, the screen of each terminal is created on the system management device side, and the format is different from the interrupt display.

[0004] In an e-mail using a workstation or the like, an interrupt message may be displayed during processing in a terminal. However, while receiving and displaying compressed information from another terminal, an e-mail may be sent from a third party. No interruption message was received and displayed.

[0005]

As described above, in the prior art, for example, in a CATV system, it was possible to combine video data and immediate information data as analog signals at the center, but a multi-channel VOD In a corresponding digital information network CATV, since video information and audio information transmitted from an information center are already compressed, it is very difficult to immediately synthesize this video information and audio information in the information center. .

The present invention solves this problem, so that even when each terminal is accessing compressed video information and audio information transmitted from an information center, it is possible to obtain immediate information from the information center or a specific terminal. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information communication method and apparatus which can easily synthesize the information.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a character information, a graphic information, a video information, and a voice information are exchanged between a plurality of information communication apparatuses having an information transmitting means and an information receiving means. In the information communication method for mutually communicating at least one, the information receiving means receives the first information transmitted from the first information transmitting means and the second information transmitted from the second information transmitting means. The information is received, and the first information and the second information are combined, edited, and output.

Here, the first information is compressed information transmitted by being compressed by the first information transmitting means, and the receiving means decompresses the compressed first information, It is possible to compose, edit and output the second information.

Further, the second information is compressed information transmitted by being compressed by the second information transmitting means, and the receiving means decompresses the compressed second information,
It is possible to compose, edit and output the first information.

Here, the information receiving means sets an output format of the second information, and further sets a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. can do.

The information transmitting means sets an output format of the second information, and further sets a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. The information may be configured to be transmitted together with the second information.

Further, the second information may be configured to be immediate information generated without prediction.

According to the present invention, there is provided an information communication apparatus comprising an information transmitting means and an information receiving means for mutually communicating at least one of character information, graphic information, video information and audio information. Means for receiving the first information transmitted from the first information transmitting means, means for receiving the second information transmitted from the second information transmitting means, the first information and the second And means for synthesizing, editing, and outputting the two information.

Here, the transmitting means may include means for compressing and transmitting information, and the receiving means may further include means for decompressing the compressed information.

[0015] The information receiving means may include: means for setting an output format of the second information; and means for setting a display position of the second information when the output format is set to screen display. It can be configured to further include.

Further, the information transmitting means includes means for setting an output format of the second information, and means for further setting a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. Means for transmitting the setting information together with the second information.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an information communication method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of an information network employing an information communication method and apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an ATV network.

In the CATV network shown in FIG. 1, terminals such as home terminals 2-1 and 2-2 are connected to an information center 1 through a transmission line 3.
The information center 1 is composed of an information file 11, an information control device 12, and a head end 13, and the home terminals 2-1 and 2-2 are respectively connected to the terminal control device 21.
-1, 21-2, and monitors 22-1, 22-2.

In this CATV network, an information center 1
Is transmitted without being synthesized with other information such as video and audio. Immediate information transmitted separately from information such as video and audio is stored in the home terminal 2 (2-
1, 2-2) and displayed.

FIG. 2 shows a terminal control device 2 in the home terminal 2.
1 (21-1, 21-2).

In FIG. 2, the terminal control device 21 includes demodulators 211 and 212, a modulator 213, a decoder 214, a terminal control circuit 215, a video / audio synthesis circuit 216, and a home network interface 217.

The terminal control device 21 has an information center 1
And the monitor 22 (22-1, 22-
2), and a transmission line 5 connected to a home device such as an interphone (not shown).

In the terminal control device 21, ordinary information (information such as video and audio other than immediate information) input via the transmission path 3 is demodulated by the demodulator 211. Since normal information is compressed information, it is returned to decompressed information by the decoder 214 and output from the transmission path 4 via the video / audio synthesizing circuit 216. Immediate information and control information input from the transmission line 3 are demodulated by the demodulator 212 and are demodulated by the terminal control circuit 21.
5 is input. When the information input to the terminal control circuit 215 is control information, each unit is controlled based on this information. When the input information is immediate information, the video / audio synthesis circuit 216 is used. Are combined with normal information by the video / audio synthesis circuit 216 and output from the transmission line 4.

Further, immediate information input from a home device such as an interphone (not shown) is input to the terminal control circuit 215 via the transmission line 5 and the home network interface 217. When the immediate information is the immediate information to the own terminal, it is synthesized with the normal information by the video / audio synthesizing circuit 216 and output from the transmission line 4. When the immediate information is the immediate information to the other terminal, The signal is modulated by the modulator 213 and output from the transmission path 3.

Next, from the information center 1 to the home terminal 2-1
A description will be given of the information flow when the information is transmitted immediately.

FIG. 3 shows that while the home terminal 2-1 is accessing the video server of the information file 11 in the information center 1, information is immediately sent from the information center 1 to the home terminal 2-.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of information when it is necessary to transmit the information to the first information.

In FIG. 3, video and audio information transmitted from the video server in the information file 11 is transmitted to the home terminal 21 via the head end 13 and the transmission path 3.

On the other hand, the immediate information transmitted by the information center 1 is transmitted from the information control device 12 to the head end 13 and the transmission line 3.
Is transmitted to the home terminal 21 via the.

The video / audio information and the real-time information are not synthesized in the information center 1, but are synthesized in the video / audio synthesis circuit 216 in the terminal control device 21-1 of the home terminal 2-1. Will be displayed.

FIG. 4 shows a display example of the monitor 22.

The immediate information 7-1 synthesized by the video information 8 and the video / audio synthesizing circuit 216 is displayed above the video based on the video information 8. Since the immediate information 7-1 is synthesized by the terminal control device 21, the display position of the user (reception side) can be arbitrarily changed by operating the terminal control device 21.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the immediate information 7 received by the terminal
1, the transmission source 72, the other control information 73, and the display position / method 74. When the display position / method 74 is set on the transmitting side, the center can arbitrarily set the display position of the information 7 immediately. Can be changed.

FIG. 6 shows a display example of the monitor 22 different from that of FIG.

In FIG. 6, the monitor 22 displays the video information 8
The immediate information 7-2 is displayed in the right part of the video by the.

The display method can be selected from, for example, only text, only voice, or a combination of text and voice. It is also possible to select no display at all, and a combination of these selections can be set for each output terminal of the terminal control device 2-1.

The immediate information is not limited to information transmitted from the information center 1, but may be information transmitted from another home terminal 2 or a home terminal device.

In FIG. 7, while the home terminal 2-1 (A) is accessing the video server of the information file 11 in the information center 1, for example, immediate information is transmitted from the home terminal 2-2 (B). 4 shows the flow of information in the case where it is performed.

The immediate information 7-3 from the home terminal 2-2 is looped back at the head end 13 of the information center 1 via the transmission line 3, and again returned to the home terminal 2 via the information transmission line 3.
-1 is transmitted to the terminal control device 21-1.

FIG. 8 shows a display example of the monitor 22 in this case.

In FIG. 8, the immediate information 7-3 from the home terminal 2-2 is a telephone call (call), but all of the information can be transmitted as character information. Also in this case, the display position and method may be set from the home terminal 2-2 on the transmitting side, or the terminal control device 21 in the home terminal 2-1 on the receiving side.
It may be set from -1. In addition, the display method can be selected to be, for example, only text, only voice, or a combination of text and voice. It is also possible to select no display at all, and a combination of these selections can be set for each output terminal of the terminal control device 21-1 on the receiving side.

Here, in FIG. 9, while the home terminal 2-1 is accessing the video server of the information file 11 in the information center 1, for example, the immediate information 7-4 is transmitted from the home device 6 such as an interphone. FIG. 10 shows an example of a display displayed on the monitor 22 when information is transmitted.

In FIG. 9, immediate information 7-4 from the home device 6, for example, information when a visitor uses an interphone is input to the terminal control device 21-1 of the home terminal 2-1 via the transmission line 5. Is done.

Also in this case, the display position and method may be set from the transmitting home device 6 or from the terminal control device 21-1 in the receiving home terminal 2-1.
In addition, the display method can be, for example, only text, only voice, or a combination of text and voice, or it can be selected not to be displayed at all. It can be set for each output terminal of the terminal control device 21-1.

In the above description, the CATV network is considered as an example of the information network. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various networks can be used.

The control information path and the information transmission path may be either physically separated or logically separated.
The information file that the terminal accesses the information center may be integrated, and may be transmitted from another information center.

Further, while displaying information such as video from another home terminal or home device, immediate information from the information center, another home terminal or another home device may be combined.

Further, the immediate information may be information such as a character code or compressed information.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, the first
Receiving means for receiving, decompressing and displaying the first compressed information transmitted from the information communication device, and further receiving the first compressed information transmitted from the second information communication device to perform the first compression Synthetic receiving means for decompressing, synthesizing, and editing the information together with the information and simultaneously displaying the information is provided in the terminal control device of the home terminal. This makes it easy to combine the compressed video information and audio information transmitted from the information center with the immediate information from the information center or a specific terminal and display the synthesized information on the monitor.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a CATV network which is an embodiment of an information network employing an information communication method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a terminal control device in a home terminal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of information when immediate information is transmitted from an information center to a home terminal.

FIG. 4 is a display example on a monitor of a home terminal according to the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a frame format of immediate information.

FIG. 6 is a display example different from FIG. 4 on the monitor of the home terminal according to the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of information when immediate information is transmitted from another home terminal to the home terminal.

8 is a display example on the monitor of the home terminal according to the embodiment of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flow of information when immediate information is transmitted from a home device or the like to a home terminal.

FIG. 10 is a display example on the monitor of the home terminal according to the embodiment of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information center 2, 2-1, 2-2 Home terminal 3, 4, 5 Transmission line 6 Home equipment 7, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4 Immediate information 8 Video information 11 Information file 12 Information control device 13 Head end 21, 21-1, 21-2 Terminal control device 22, 22-1, 22-2 Monitor 71 Destination information 72 Source information 73 Other information 74 Display position / method information 75 Information contents 211, 212 demodulator 213 modulator 214 decoder 215 terminal control circuit 216 video / audio synthesis circuit 217 home network interface

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. An information communication method for mutually communicating at least one of character information, graphic information, video information, and audio information among a plurality of information communication apparatuses including an information transmitting unit and an information receiving unit, The receiving means receives the first information transmitted from the first information transmitting means, receives the second information transmitted from the second information transmitting means, and receives the first information and the second information. An information communication method characterized by combining, editing and outputting the information. 2. The first information is compressed information transmitted by being compressed by the first information transmitting means, and the receiving means decompresses the compressed first information, and 2. The information communication method according to claim 1, wherein the information is synthesized, edited, and output. 3. The second information is compressed information transmitted by being compressed by the second information transmitting means, and the receiving means decompresses the compressed second information, and 3. The information communication method according to claim 1, wherein the information is synthesized, edited, and output. 4. The information receiving means sets an output format of the second information, and further sets a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. The information communication method according to claim 1. 5. The information transmitting means sets an output format of the second information, and further sets a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. The information communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein information is transmitted together with the second information. 6. The information communication method according to claim 1, wherein the second information is immediate information generated without prediction. 7. It comprises an information transmitting means and an information receiving means,
An information communication apparatus for mutually communicating at least one of character information, graphic information, video information, and audio information, wherein the information receiving unit receives the first information transmitted from the first information transmitting unit And a means for receiving the second information transmitted from the second information transmitting means, and a means for combining, editing, and outputting the first information and the second information. Information communication device. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting means comprises means for compressing and transmitting information, and said receiving means further comprises means for expanding said compressed information. Information communication device. 9. The information receiving means includes: means for setting an output format of the second information; and means for setting a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. The information communication device according to claim 7, further comprising: 10. The information transmitting means, comprising: means for setting an output format of the second information; and means for further setting a display position of the second information when the output format is set to a screen display. 9. The information communication apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: means for transmitting the setting information together with the second information.